Nine Canadians in Running for NCAA's Hobey Baker Award

Dylan Sikura (9) of the Northeastern Huskies is one of nine Canadians
named to the initial list of nominees for the 2017 Hobey Baker Award as
the top player in NCAA men's hockey. (Rich Gagnon/Northeastern
Athletics)

The first phase of determining the 2017 Hobey Baker Award winner
kicked off on Jan. 30 with the release of 66 nominees representing 40
schools for college hockey's top individual prize.

Among that list is nine Canadian-born players including six forwards, a pair of goaltenders and one defenceman.

Jimmy Vesey of the Harvard Crimson took Hobey honours last season and
is now starring with the NHL's New York Rangers. The last time a player
from north of the border took home the prize was in 2007 when
University of North Dakota forward and Calgary, Alta. native Ryan Duncan
was the recipient.

A surprise nomination among that group of Canucks is freshman goaltender Angus Redmond of the Michigan Tech Huskies.

The Langley, B.C. native started the 2016-17 campaign as the third
puckstopper on the Huskies depth chart behind senior Matt Wintjes and
sophomore Devin Kero, but quickly grabbed the starting berth after the
Huskies opened the season with a 1-5-2 record.

Near the end of October, Redmond got his first start and recorded a
19-save shutout against Northern Michigan Wildcats. He followed that up
by allowing just one goal while facing 30 shots in his next start.

Since then he has appeared in 25 games, sports a 15-6-5 record, a
save percentage of .922 and a 1.72 goals-against-average that ranks
second among all NCAA netminders. Prior to beginning his college career,
the 21-year-old played four seasons in the BCHL (from 2012 to 2016)
with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks.

The other netminder in the running is Peterborough, Ont. native Mitch
Gillam of Cornell Big Red while Providence Friars junior Jake Walman
from Toronto, Ont. is the sole Canadian rearguard on the list of 66.

Heading into the final stretch of regular season games, Sikura is two
points back of the NCAA scoring lead trailing Union Dutchmen senior
Mike Vecchione. Sikura has registered 46 points through 27 games and has
the second most assists in the league with 29.

Prior to playing for the Huskies, Sikura played three seasons with
the Aurora Tigers of the OJHL. Two years ago, the Chicago Blackhawks
drafted him in the sixth round, 178th overall at the 2015 NHL Entry
Draft.

Sikura also tied for the most points in the nation through the month
of January with Dylan McLaughlin of the Canisius Golden Griffins with 15
points apiece. Crema finished two back with 13 points in the first
month of the new year.

Before Dartmouth, Crema played 97 games (39G, 61A) over two seasons
with the Brampton Capitals and Hamilton Red Wings in the OJHL. He has
gone undrafted through his four years at Dartmouth.

The other Canadians on the list that have been drafted into the pros
are: Walman (third round, 82nd overall) by the St. Louis Blues in 2014;
Seney (sixth round, 157th overall) by the New Jersey Devils in 2015; and
Kerfoot (fifth round, 150th overall) by the Devils in 2012.

The first phase of the selection process includes college hockey fans
who can cast their ballots for their choice online through the Hobey
Baker website (www.hobeybaker.com) until March 5. The field will be reduced to 10 finalists on March 15 and then to just three (Hobey Hat Trick) on March 30.

The 2017 winner will then be selected from the Hobey Hat Trick and
announced on Friday, April 7 during the Frozen Four finals at the United
Centre in Chicago.

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